Basic — most of nights in tents or rooms with shared WC, some nights in comfortable rooms.

Standard — most of nights in comfortable rooms, some nights in tents or rooms with shared WC.

Upgraded — all nights in comfortable rooms.

Comfort

Minimum age of the participant of this trip

7 Days

December - January

Highlights

Celebrate Russian New Year on Lake Baikal

Discover the warm and generous Siberian soul

Cross the snow-covered taiga on dog-sledding

Watch a rare phenomenon when water is steaming

Go by boat along the most beautiful Baikal shore

Visit the places inaccessible from the land

Make the circular itinerary about 250 km

Tour Overview

What’s the best time to
experience something new and exciting? It’s New Year’s Eve, of course! It’s a
magical time when everyone believes in miracles and wishes the best for the
year to come. Spend your holidays with BaikalNature on the most beautiful Lake
Baikal shores. Your Lake Baikal NYE, will sound like a genuine Siberian fairy
tale on the most sacred and purest waters.

Whether you travel with
children, with friends or alone, you want to experience active vacations or
just spend a great time discovering new landscapes, this trip will really be
exciting.

A large number of
activities await you! Visit the Taltsy Ethnographic Museum, taste Baikal
cuisine, see the Baikal Museum and meet nerpa, the Baikal seal, hike up to
Chersky Rock, dog-sled in the Siberian winter forest and celebrate New Year’s
Eve! Take also some time to rest in a Russian banya and enjoy lakefront bed and
breakfast Siberian welcoming atmosphere.

After a loud NYE party on
Baikal shore, spend the second day of the year aboard a ship sailing along one
of the Lake Baikal most beautiful shores. Visit the former gold seeker
settlement, Bolshie Koty Village and the 17th century Bolshoye Goloustnoye
Village. Gaze at stunning and unique landscapes: at this time of the year,
rocks and capes are already covered in ice as a thin layer of ice already forms
along the shores. Crossing the misty waters of the lake, you’ll find yourself
on sites you can only reach by boat.

You’ll spend overnights at
a cosy and comfortable resort on Baikal shore, a night in the wooden house of a
hospitable family and the best hotel of Listvyanka in its centre.

Read more

Tour programme

Day 1

First meeting with the lake Baikal

Irkutsk — Bolshoye Goloustnoye

Day 2

Happy New Year!

Bolshoye Goloustnoye

Day 3

Belaya mountain

Listvyanka

Day 4

On the board

Bolshoye Goloustnoye — Bolshiye Koty

Day 5

Along the western coast of the lake Baikal

Bolshiye Koty — Listvyanka

Day 6

Road to Irkutsk

Listvyanka — Irkutsk

Day 7

End of the programme

Irkutsk

11:00

Arrival to the airport of the Irkutsk city

If you arrive earlier, you can have a breakfast in one of the cafés of the airport, to buy the souvenirs or to take cash (During the New Year’s holidays in Russia the banks are closed and the ATM could be closed. Please, take care of it in advance).

11:30

Meeting with your driver and guide

Departure to the Bolshoye Goloustnoye village, situated in 120 km form Irkutsk on the board of the lake Baikal (about 2,5 hour of the route).

12:30

Dog-sledding

We will stop over in Maloye Goloustnoye village. The owner will make for you an excursion through the kennel, acquaint you with dogs - Alaskan Malamutes and her little farm. After a hot tea with taiga berries jam, dog-sledding on the snowy country road (about 2 km).

13:40

Lunch

Home-made lunch of farmer's prods.

15:00

Arrival to Bolshoye Goloustnoye

Accommodation in the cosy wooden resort on Baikal shore. Rest.
Bolshoye Goloustnoye village was founded 3 centuries ago. Its foundation was connected to the trade route between Russia and China. For making the lake Baikal crossing possible, there was a special port, then the hole village was built there.

15:00

Time at leisure

You can have a rest after the long flight or to go for a walk through the village or along the shore.

19:00

Dinner

Overnight in the hotel

Photo of the day

Route

Irkutsk — Bolshoye Goloustnoye

Accommodation

Accommodation "U Mikhalicha", Bolshoye Goloustnoye

Twin comfortable room

Landmarks

Note

1 hdog sledding (2km)

3 htransfer (120km)

09:30

Breakfast at your resort

10:00

Excurison to the Dry lake

3 km away from the village there is a Dry lake. It's water level is changeable: it can be absolutely dried and then become deep. This lake is subscribed in the list of the special geological sites of the region.

13:30

Lunch in the cafe

16:00

Russian banya

The Russian banya (sauna) is a good way of relaxing ! According to Russian tradition, the banya can help to clear all negative emotions accumulated during the year.

17:00

Free time for preparing to the festive dinner

20:00

Festive dinner

In the evening there will be a special festive dinner for you: tasty cuisine, entertainment program, champagne and, of course, fireworks !

Overnight at your resort

Photo of the day

Route

Bolshoye Goloustnoye

Accommodation

Accommodation "U Mikhalicha", Bolshoye Goloustnoye

Twin comfortable room

Note

3 h (4km)

10:00

Late breakfast

11:00

Time at leisure

After a big party, it's time to have a good rest ! In the wooden house you will sleep like a baby.

13:00

Lunch

14:00

Ascent the Belaya mountain

The Belaya (White) mountain, rising above the village, is a sacred place aslo called Mountain of Wisdom. From it's top there is a panoramic view on lake Baikal, the village and ranges surrounding it.

19:00

Dinner

Overnight at your resort

Photo of the day

Route

Listvyanka

Accommodation

Accommodation "U Mikhalicha", Bolshoye Goloustnoye

Twin standard room

Note

3 htrekking (4km)

10:00

Breakfast

After breakfast, we say good buy to the hospitable hosts and going further by boat.

11:00

Departure to the village

We start our unique "cruise" to the south till the Bolshiye Koty village.
On our way will make two stops: near the Skriper mountain and Kadilniy cape.
The Skriper mountian is a massif near the Sennaya bay.
The Kadilniy cape is a part of the Baikal Natural Reserve. In the pas it was the place where the local people burn the lime. In the caves near the cape there were the sites of the late Stone age.

13:00

Lunch

Picnic with hot tea on boat.

15:00

Arrival to the village

Accommodation in the homestay.
The history of the village is closely related to the history of the lake Baikal. Firstly it was the village of the gold diggers searching for the gold-bearing sands. There was a glasswork. The village saves its charm because there is an access only from the water or by the taiga trail.
You will climb the hill for observing the breath-taking landscapes. If the weather is good, you will see the opposite board of the lake.

On board you will start the navigation along the most beautiful western coast of the lake Baikal to the village Listvyanka. Going through the shroud of the steaming lake, you will admire the ice-covered capes and the picturesque landscapes of the snow-covered taiga.

12:00

Arrival to the village

Accommodation in the hotel situated in some metres of the Baikal lake shore. Rest.

14:00

Lunch in the restaurant

15:00

Visit of the village Bolshiye Koty

The history of the village is closely related to the history of the lake Baikal. Firstly it was the village of the gold diggers searching for the gold-bearing sands. There was a glasswork. The village saves its charm because there is an access only from the water or by the taiga trail.
You will climb the hill for observing the breath-taking landscapes. If the weather is good, you will see the opposite board of the lake.

16:00

Chersky Rock

Ascension to Chersky Rock with chair lift to discover a beautiful view of the lake and Angara river.

17:00

Excursion to the Baikal Museum

Guided excursion in Baikal Museum where you will learn about its flora and fauna and see nerpa (Baikal seal).

Taltsy is an open-air ethnographic museum with monuments of the wooden architecture. You will get acquaintance with not only material, but also moral of the local people. You can visit the work-shops, slide and of course meet with Ded Moroz (Russian Santa Clause), Snegurochka (his granddaughter) and Baba Yaga (the Russian fairy tale’s character).

13:00

Arrival to Irkutsk

Accommodation in the hotel in the city-centre. Rest.

14:00

Lunch — Not included

16:00

Leisure time in Irkutsk

You can walk in the city centre. Just in front of your hotel there is a big New Year's tree and ice sculptures. You can visit the 130 quarter where you can buy the Russian Christmas souvenirs and musicians in the street make the atmosphere very festive.

Guaranteed departure from 5 participants. If there are less participants, the price can be recalculated.
The price includes breakfast on Day 2-7; lunch on Day 1-4, 5; dinner on Day 1-4.
Single supplement 4 800 RUB (only for nights 5 and 6).

Reviews

4.50

4.50

Total score

5.00

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